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Friday, November 21, 2014

Children
and young adults with disabilities will continue to enjoy summer camp, known as
SCAMP, despite funding cutbacks for the program by state lawmakers.

“We
do not intend to ever close down Clarkston SCAMP despite any potential cutbacks
in state funding,” said Tina Collins, executive director of North Oakland SCAMP
Funding Corp.

“We
have about 200 youths and young adults with disabilities who attend our summer
sessions,” she said Thursday in response to 2014-15 funding cuts to nonprofits
that support the camps.

SCAMP,
which starts the last week of June and goes to the end of July, costs $1,200
per student. “However, no child is ever turned away for financial reasons to
attend the summer camp,” Collins said.

Sessions
are held three times a week for five weeks. Activities include arts and crafts,
swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, games, field trips, music and picnics, she
said. “The curriculum concentrates on developing a positive self-image,
improving social interaction and developing and improving motor skills.

“We
also have several onsite visits from entertainment groups that are part of our
normal activities,” Collins said.

“Our
campers come from the general Clarkston area as well as Avondale, Brandon
Township, Holly, Huron Valley, Lake Orion, Oxford, Pontiac, Rochester,
Waterford and Grand Blanc in southern Genesee County, she said.

SCAMP,
a nonprofit started in 1976, has the mission to provide funding for a summer
camp program offering fun and social and recreational opportunities for youth
adults and children who are disabled.

SCAMP
works in conjunction with the Clarkston School District which “lets us use one
of its elementary schools for our activities.”

Collins
also said we have a lot of support in the community from businesses, residents,
chambers of commerce, the Knights of Columbus and other entities in the region.

Jerry
Wolffe is the writer-in-residence, advocate-at-large at the Macomb-Oakland
Regional Center. He can be reached at (586) 263-8950.